Suarez… Hernandez? That’s what Liverpool and Manchester United fans have been arguing as both are taking the Barclays Premier League by storm. Although Hernandez has had more time to settle in England, having being bought for only £9millon from Guadalajara in the summer, Suarez has taken like the proverbial duck to life in England’s top flight since his £23million move from Ajax in January. Both arrived with fearsome goal scoring records and good showings at the 2010 FIFA World Cup – Suarez in particular after his 49-goal season, but impressively Hernandez at just 21 had notched 26 goals in 64 for Guadalajara and had already established himself as integral to the Mexico setup. So who is ‘better’?
Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez (22) in his debut season for Manchester United will add the Premier League title and possibly a Champions League title to his trophy cabinet and it seems inevitable that they will be the first of many honours he will win with United. After a slow-ish start to the season, Hernandez’s endeavour, hard-work and knack of grabbing vital goals has now seen him become a key part of the Manchester United setup. Recently starting in important games such as against Chelsea where he scored within 1 minute shows he has overtaken Berbatov in Ferguson’s starting XI.
But how do his stats rack up? Hernandez in the league has scored 13 in 26 games, with 12 appearances coming as a sub. His strike rate of 1 in 2 is impressive and his shots/goals ratio tots up at 2.8 goals for every 10 shots… not too bad – particularly when you compare this to Suarez who has found the net only once every 10 shots. Like United legend Ole Solskjaer he’s a goal-poacher. He relies of the quality of service given to him and his natural ability to be in the right place at the right time to bag his fare share of goals. however Hernandez is not just a out and out poacher, he plays with a footballing intelligence that surpasses his years; his movement off the ball opens up spaces for others to score, Vidic’s goal against Chelsea highlights this as Hernandez drew away two defenders opening up the space for Vidic to tuck the ball away.
In comparison Luis Suarez (23) since his arrival in January has become a bit of a talisman for the Reds as his tireless running at defenders and unselfish play is appreciated by both fans and teammates. Although his strike rate is less clinical than Hernandez’s, he has still managed to net 4 in 11 and whilst contributing 5 assists, greatly eclipsing Hernandez’s 1. Jamie Carragher recently stated that “If he keeps playing like that, I think he’ll be a bigger legend than I’ll ever be… he’s adaptable and versatile, he can do different jobs for the team”.
Suarez’s contribution to Liverpool’s resurgence under Kenny Dalglish looks even more impressive as Liverpool have picked up an average of 2.1 points per game whilst he has been in the side. Suarez’s strength is in his ability to attack defenders in a way that Hernandez doesn’t. He terrorized the United back line last month and ensured a similarly unpleasant evening for Hangeland and Hughes on Monday night as Liverpool won 5-2. The quality of his dribbling, his flair and creativity and his ability to work and commit defenders to open up the space for his teammates shows him to be the more complete player. It must be remembered it is still early days for the Liverpool striker’s Anfield career but if he continues in the same vain then maybe Carragher’s right and he is a legend in the making.
If both players continue their progression as they are doing, then next season we could see an interesting battle at the top of the Premier League and the scoring charts as Liverpool will look to kick on from this season and United will look to secure yet another league title. Hernandez will score more but Suarez’s overall contribution and ability sets him apart as the ‘better’ player. Goals may win titles – but didn’t we all hate that kid in the playground who just goal-hanged?
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Must have been mob handed on the Liverpool voting front lol – I’m sorry folks but hernandez is top! top! quality!!! -its no good you Liverpool mob trying to justify your man when the whole world knows that hernandez is the man!!! chicharitoooooo!!!!
suarez is better player i will like him to collect highest goal scores in next season thank
Again; An insult to Suárez to compare him to Hernández.
Hernández is just about scoring goals, and doesn’t help the team with much more. Suárez is about goals, assists, teamwork and leadership.
Suárez is an established world-class player, while Hernández is a squad/rotation player for United.
If you want to compare Suárez with someone in PL, you should compare him to last seasons edition of Rooney. At the current date, though, Suárez would beat any other striker in the Premiership, except maybe for Drogba at his very, very best, but it seems like he’s past it.
Good read but Hernandez will not outscore Suarez next season, no chance. He’s had a one off season, a fluke you may say but Suarez has been a top player for years and was the better player at the World Cup too. Suarez WILL get more assists than Hernandez next season, easily but I believe he will also outscore him because he will be used to the league more and will torment teams week in week out (something Hernandez can’t do on his own). I wouldn’t be surprised if he nets 20+ league goals next season. Hernandez relies on wingers giving him open goal opportunities and tap ins whereas Suarez can score goals single handedly, this poll is a bit of an embarrasment and quite offensive to Luis Suarez, he is already a MUCH better player than Hernandez, Rooney and maybe even Tevez right now, imagine how good he’d be in 2 years time.
It’s got to be Suarez! He’s a better all round player and is brilliant outside the box! However Hernandez is a fantastic goalscorer and clinical inside the box! (Bargin as well)!
Both super player and the comparison is not needed or warented for that matter.
Get a grip!
Stuart, where was Hernandez in the recent game between us, who was man of the match ??? In all honesty they are both very good players….. Would love to have had Hernandez at Anfield but at the time you signed him we had an arsehole called Woy Wodgson as manager…..
2 top quality players 1 a goal poaching assassin Hernandez whose in the mould of Ole Gunnar Solksjaer or even Michael Owen. The other a hard working rabid marksman or sniper in Suarez whose likened to Tevez because of their work-rate but my biased opinion is that Suarez is ‘going’ to be better then Tevez but next season will need to match Tevez in the goal scoring department.
Who do I think is better? its hard question i like both players even though im a LFC fan i respect Hernandez and admire his abilities as a player in his first season in new surroundings and the way hes performed is mind blowing. However saying that Suarez has performed brilliantly himself and i think because of his work-rate and finishing capabilities and assists hes more a complete player, besides he left the Utd defenders for dead and i know Hernandez finished late on against us but he didn’t do much before that, but that also shows what Hernandez can do at any minute even if hes having an off day.
If Suarez had started the season with us no doubt we would be in the top 4 maybe Torres would have stayed (but who cares if he didn’t) and Suarez would have done as much damage as Hernandez in the PL atleast, but it all bodes well for next season what hes done in so little time is brilliant and i just can’t wait for the summer transfer saga to start and the new season to begin BRING IT ON LFC TILL I DIE……YNWA……JFT96
Kamster question! think carefully! – who would you rather have as your manager? Ferguson who’s record is undisputed or Dalglish who has previously had a go at management and like keegan failed! – who do you think is the better judge of a player1 – if you think Dalglish then I’m sorry you are deluded!
Stuart,
King Kenny a failure?, you have to be kidding!
Have a quck look….
King Kenny Player manager 86 – 90
First division: Three titles (1986, 1988, 1990)
FA Cup: Two titles (1986, 1989)
Manager of the Year: Three awards (1986, 1988, 1990)
You may notice no european titles we were banned from 85 – 91
Alex Fergiscum joined UTD in 86 he didnt win anything until 1993! Ok he got the FA cup(1990) and the league cup(1992)but no league titles!
So KK: 3 league titles and 2 FA Cups in his first 4 years
Vs
AF: 1 FA Cup in his first 4 years!
I rest my case!
Wtf? Dalglish failed as a manager? What are you smoking? I suggest you read up on Dalglish because he was a very VERY SUCCESSFUL manager. Suarez is a much MUCH better player than Hernandez who would struggle at the likes of West Ham and such whereas Suarez would be keeping them up single handedly.
Stuart, you really need to pay more attention to football before you comment!
Firstly Dalglish did not fail, hes won the league title 4 times in the 8 hes managed, not including the season just gone! Hes also won the FA cup!
Dalglish has been in charge of over 300 games for liverpool and won over 60% of them, our most successful win rate ever in the league…over paisley, shankley, fagan, benitez! FAR from a FAILURE!
In terms of spotting the better ‘player’ I bet ferguson himself would admit that suarez is a better player, he already has rooney though who plays a similar role. Hernandez is a top, top poacher! Reminds me a bit of robbie fowler…that is high praise from a liverpudlian!
We all know Luis Suarez is better in nearly every way Suarez has magic in his boots.. Hernandez was playing for a team that won all their home games bar one, so of course he gonna score a few(He really should of scored more in the league in all honesty I mean Dirk Kuyt has about 13 goals and he was playing in a struggling team all year on the right wing no less..I wish my team owned either of them But Suarez is something rare (eye catching) Hernandez isn’t.
In terms of being a ‘better’ player Suarez clearly wins that accolade, as his all round ability is far superior to that of Hernandez. However the contribution both make to their respective clubs is equal, where Hernandez provides the finishing touch (something United have been missing since the days of Nistelrooy) and compliments the abilities of Rooney perfectly, Suarez on the other hand is key for Liverpool in holding the ball, running at the opposition and bringing the likes of Maxi, Kuyt and Meireles into play.
Its easy to simply state Suarez is ‘better’ because he is a more talented footballer, but the truth is both players are vital for their team in their own unique way.
Sitting on the fence I see lol
Pay attention lol! – I’m talking about as a manager not a player perhaphs you need to pay attention! You cannot even remotely compare Dalglish with ferguson! – not remotely!!!!! – Ferguson is slated stabbed in the back mostly by Man utd hater but hey thats the way united and ferguson like it because as long as he is in charge of united they continue to wins things and discover new players for peanuts and develope them! – watch out for the next generation of youngsters coming through in particular Ravel Morrison & Paul Pogba – as regards comparing suarez to Hernandez all I can say is bring on next season – history will not lie!!!
Since Kenny took over the only team with a better record than us is Chelsea. Dalglish has proven managerial ability at this level, with three first division titles and a prem title with Blackburn. Fergie may be a good manager but your team at the moment consists of average players and on the brink of retirement, as is the manager. On the basis of it, the future looks brighter for us.
I think your the only one who needs to pay attention
“Dalglish who has previously had a go at management and like keegan failed!”
are you having a laugh Dalglish as a manager won more then Fergie did in his first few years. You maybe can’t compare the two now with Dalglish being out of the game for son long but to say he was a failure is a joke even Fergie himself would happy slap you for saying such a stupid thing.
When everyone was slating Fergie back in his early days at Utd without winning a cup and was on the verge of getting sacked, which manager stuck up for him? King kenny Dalglish did and perhaps kept him in a job at Utd maybe.
The people of Liverpool know they’re football this includes Evertonians so keep your babbling mouth shut dimwit……YNWA……JFT96
obviously hernandez!
Lol easily wound up aint ya Zahid!
Can’t take defeat mate?
Your records going matey!
Lovely number 19 nnnnnnnnn 19 lol!
Um…we’ve won it 5 times. When you’ve won it 6 times then you can gloat. For now, sit down and be quiet.
Taking our record will be your downfall not ours as we will be more hungry now to take it back. This sleeping giant or dormant volcano is about to wake and all those in its way will suffer, get ready for next season LFC are back……YNWA……JFT96
Well Zahid you have had a number of years to take your revenge! Perhaphs this time yourselves and Chelski will try sticking by your managers instead of throwing them down the nearest drain when you have a lean spell! – Just like a season its about winning the war not just a single match like when you beat us last! – Fergie has learnt to look at the big picture – that’s why united plan well ahead and focus on being consistent over the whole season!!!
Its only now after all these years that you’ve almost taken our record, so its now after sorting our off field problems that we feel we can take back whats ours. Its mostly down to our own failings that we havn’t added to our record, but credits where credits due you have taken the crown, However records are made to be broken however long it takes we will take whats ours back……YNWA……JFT96
Benitez was a good manager but he blew it. Had we had Dalglish since the start of this campaign we’d be up there with a farily average Liverpool team too. Now, if we invest in the summer, and with Dalglish managing us things WILL be different.
Fergus has already said he expects LFC to challenge for the title next season, maybe hes saying it to try put pressure on us already, but it won’t work, we have King Kenny in charge now who won’t talk about anything concerning the title because hes better than that. Once where in worthy of talking about it that will be when we do which will be when its within reach of this magnificent club LFC……JFT96